Jari Lavonen, Jari.Lavonen@helsinki.fi

READING AND WRITING IN SCHOOL SCIENCE

European Science Teachers: Scientific Knowledge, Linguistic Skills and Digital Media (PEC)

COMENIUS 2.1 Action, financed by Socrates project, 226641-CP-1-2005-1-ES-COMENIUS-C21

Goals for design activities in Finland within PEC -project

Our aim in Finland has been to design activities to

school Science emphasizing reading and writing, facilitating use of Information and Communication

Technologies (ICT), helping teachers to emphasize constructive,

contextual and collaborative learning, helping teachers to use versatile evaluation

methods, minimizing moral and ethical problems, like

copying.

Finnish designer group consisted of

3 researchers and 3 (+21) active science teachers

Learning by reading and writing: Analysis of a video created during PEC

Learning is more than just transferring information from a source into a student’s memory –

Learning is each learner’s own personal knowledge

construction process which can be facilitated through

collaboration and choose of an appropriate context, …

What kind of pedagogy1 the teacher is using in the video when she is guiding her students in the

reading and writing activities?

1 Pedagogy (pɛdəgɒdʒi)

refers to

strategies of instruction, or

a style of instruction

Based on our theoretical problem analysis reading and writing activities in science should support aspects which are collaborative, constructive, reflective and contextual

Meaningful learning …

Activity and intentionality … students take responsibility over

their own learning (students set their learning goals, plan, self-

evaluate) Communality, interactivity, collaboration … students actively take

part in group activities and support each other by discussing and

sharing knowledge (+ teacher – student interaction!) Constructivity … students combine their earlier knowledge with

the new topics to be learnt and tailor information structures that

they can comprehend Contextuality … learning takes place in situations simulating real-

life situations (write to prospective readers other than the teacher) Reflective … students examine their own learning and develop

metacognitive skills

Learning by reading

Several types of texts can be used as sources of information,

such as, course books, encyclopaedias and web-based texts … Active and passive reader (look in the paper) Activities supporting active reading can include for example:

activating students previous views and knowledge comparing students previous views and knowledge with the

information featured in the text discussing the views

presented in the text applying the general principles

presented in the text to

imaginary practical settings voicing critical opinions writing a summary,

a concept map, a frame, …

Learning by reading: Analysis of one example in small groups

Read independently an example on page 2 and 3

5 min Each member of the group creates a short outline on the

basis of the text and then explains the rest of the group

this outline (the main points of the text).

5 min The whole group make a summary about two issues:

- How the example support

meaningful learning?

- What features of meaningful

learning are missing?

Learning by reading: Reciprocal reading in groups

Each member of the group creates an outline on the basis of the read text and then explains the rest of the group this outline (the main points of the text).

Each member of the group creates a mindmap on the read text and presents it to the rest of the group. The created mindmaps are studied and the aim is to find the essential points in each one.

Each member of the group generates questions on the basis of the read text and asks the rest of the group these questions.

Reciprocal reading aims at activating students to read and study in groups. Students are instructed to form pairs or small groups. After independently reading for a short while (for instance, one page), the following activities can be carried out:

Learning by reading: Supporting independent reading

When students read independently, they can be asked to write down key expressions and pose questions that come to mind when reading a given text. These questions voice points that students have not understood.

The questions can be collected on a white board or on a transparency for everybody to reflect.

While reading, students can create a mind map on the basis of the text. This mind map serves as a visual representation on the ideas generated by the reading process and the connections between these ideas.

Learning by writing

Writing serves a natural way of creating meanings and

viewing the world However, writing tasks at school rarely motivate

students.

- “How many pages?”,

- “Do I have to use full sentences?”,

- “Are bulleted lists allowed?”. Linna (1994, 16-19) lists tools that help transforming

writing tasks at school into

pleasant experiences

(List in the paper) Active and passive writer

(in the paper)

Learning by writing: Analysis of one example in small groups

Read independently an example on page 1 (Process

writing) 5 min Each member of the group generates one question

dealing with the meaningful learning on the basis of the

text and asks the rest of the group this questions Make a summary about two issues:

- How the example support

meaningful learning?

- What features of meaningful

learning are missing?

Learning by writing: Process writing

Brainstorming and choosing the topic Familiarising oneself with the topic (generating and

choosing ideas, facts, views, goals, and visions) Outlining the topic (analytic questions, mindmaps) and

sketching the structure for the text Writing the first draft Feedback (one’s own views, peer feedback and teacher

feedback) Editing the text and thus creating the second draft Creating the final publication version

(double-checking language points

and headings) Publishing.

Learning by writing: Drawing instructions

Create the written instructions for sketching a chart visualising the operating of a hydroelectric power plant. Read these instructions then to your partner and ask him or her to sketch a detailed drawing on the basis of the instructions, not on the basis of previous knowledge. Compare the drawing to a model found in a course book or some other source. Improve the drawing to eliminate possible shortcomings. Which essential elements were missing from the drawing? Which essential points were not mentioned when giving the instructions? What should have been rephrased?

Learning by writing: The exercises using prewritten texts Manuals and Booklets

Create an updated and localised booklet, a basic guide for dealing with radiation at home. First, jointly discuss which issues need to be covered in the booklet.

After this is done, divide the students into groups and allocate each group an area of responsibility.

Before you create the booklet, take a look at a booklet published by authorities. Pay careful attention to the booklet’s structure, foreword, headings, contents, visualisations and layout.

   

Examples of Science teachers’ experiences of the activities in Finland

Evaluations of 24 science teachers :Strengths in Learning by Reading and Writing

Student skills may be developed Information retrieval, processing and presentation

skills co-operation skills ICT skills (word processing, information search,

publishing, …) science language skills

Motivating students feeling autonomy, social relatedness and

competency curiosity (Internet, …)

Learning contents chemistry and physics integrating themes: sustainable development, …

Output from the evaluation of activities: A. Process writing

At least 70% of teachers had used process writing

approaches during science lessons Students were most active: ”Students were more

enthusiastic than before.” Process writing helped students to find the key issues in

various literary sources. All students are not alike: ”All students do not like the

others to read their writings.” Process writing takes time

Output from the evaluation of activities:B. Short texts like essays, poems, etc.

All teachers had guided their students to write short texts. Teachers’ opinion was that students were motivated and it

was valuable preparation for further studies. The experience on poems was that they were nice but not

to be used too often and with all students.

Output from the evaluation of activities:C. Writing for concrete outcomes

About 30% of teachers had guided their students to write

for concrete outcomes like user instructions, drawing

guides etc., :

”Students looked for appletts etc. in the Internet and wrote

in small groups user guides in their native language for the

best ones.”

These tiny projects activated students in discussing and goal-oriented work in teams.

Output from the evaluation of activities: D. Reading

All teachers had used formal methods like concept

mapping to promote efficient reading.

Pedagogical approaches like active reading and reciprocal

reading facilitated discussions during and after reading.

Four teacher reports indicated worries for low level of

comprehension of texts.

Output from the evaluation of activities: E. The exercises using prewritten texts

Altogether 10 teachers organised teaching experiments in

which students in small groups used prewritten texts, then

drafted revised, edited, and published a paper together.

Output from the evaluation of activities: F. Miscellaneous observations

The activities emphasized contextual, constructive and

collaborative learning These pedagogical approaches scaffolded students in not

copying mechanically (cut-and-paste). It is important that students do not write to their teacher, but

they have some other audience and clear-cut goals. Teachers need time and perseverance when planning

these activities. Evaluation of student performance and outcomes is time

consuming. ”The best in learning these new pedagogical approaches is

that I have been able to activate versatile methods in

science teaching.”

Summary

Modern pedagogical approaches based on reading and

writing activities implement numerous different learning

activities emphasized contextual, constructive and

collaborative learning. Student-centered activities, both autonomous and team

work, are in the focus of learning. Students should find an audience other than their teacher,

they should have a clear-cut purpose and uncompelled

intention for writing. Different variants of reading and writing processes can be

implemented in various contexts like laboratory work, site

visits, publishing school bulletins, etc. Careful planning of the activities is most important.